Hoy’s Chinese Cuisine celebrates re-opening in Simcoe

Hoy’s Chinese Cuisine has reopened in Simcoe under new ownership.

“We would like every guest that comes here to know we will serve our best to our customers,” said Jacky Yu, new co-owner and manager, at the grand re-opening on Feb. 14. “This is my motto.”

Yu and co-owner Raymond Chen started with a soft opening on Jan. 26.

“We are very happy that people would like to come in and give us advice for everything so we can do it better and better,” said Yu. “After three weeks of operating, I decided opening day would be on Valentine’s Day.”

Yu, who has 12-plus years restaurant experience in Markham, is enjoying an ownership role and managing their new staff at 71 Queensway East, a property they lease from Russ Freeman and family.

“We have to take care of everything in the restaurant,” said Yu. “Hopefully I have my excellent staff that can help me to operate it… we are ‘family.’”

Yu stressed excellent service is always a top priority, no matter how large or small the community.

“It’s the same way to serve everywhere, we do our best to serve our guests, our customers.”

Yu’s mother worked for former owner Tony Yin and his family at Hoy’s last summer until it closed on Dec. 24, 2022. She knew it was a good restaurant at a good location and shared that information with her son, Yu said.

Years ago, Tony Yin had renamed the Simcoe restaurant in honor of his brother, Hoy Yin, after purchasing it from his nephew, Jim Yin.

“We did a terrific business here because our quality and the standard that we used at Yin’s (Waterford) carried on to here,” said Tony.

A well-known restauranteur – Tony and his wife Mei had started Yin’s Restaurant in Waterford in 1971. He was a ginseng farmer for nearly 50 years, and is a subdivision developer in Norfolk County.

“My father died in 1957 and I came to Canada in 1958,” said Tony. “So at nine-and-a-half years old, you’ve got to know how to be self-independent. His (Jacky’s) mother told me he left as a 16-year-old, then look at him at 32. I said, ‘You’ve got a lot of energy, motivation, working experience, all of that.’”

“We are going to keep his (Yin’s) dream and make it happen,” said Yu. “It is a very famous place in town.”

Norfolk County Ward 5 Councilor Doug Brunton, on behalf of Mayor Amy Martin, presented Yu with a certificate from the county, recognizing the grand re-opening on Valentine’s Day.

Hoy’s Chinese Cuisine is open 11 am to 8 pm Tuesday to Sunday.

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